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| - This article, Dreams of Failure, is the first part of the Force Chronicles story-line, which features Jedi Knight Vin Garth and his companions. This particular part is set during the waning weeks of the Clone Wars and serves mainly as an introduction to the main characters. Jedi Knight Vin Garth stood on the bridge of his frigate – which had been unofficially dubbed Freedom’s Progress – with a set of documents in his hand, which he was only pretending to review. Duty assignments and troop rotations where important, he conceded, but his second-in-command – an old smuggling friend by the name of Lloyd Stroud – would see that the men and women on-board knew what their tasks where. “Master Garth,” said the navigator. “We will be approaching our destination shortly. ETA is thirty minutes.” “Thank you.” Vin said. His team, which many had dubbed Vin’s Militia, hadn’t a single Clone Trooper in its ranks. Why? A question Vin was used to answering. The Clone Troopers were too convenient an asset. Their creation stunk of conspiracy. It had never sat right with him. And he knew a few others amongst the Jedi Order who shared his views. If he had had his way he would have discarded them long ago and built an army from multiple sources, across multiple worlds. “Where is Master Rahm Kota stationed?” Vin asked of his communications specialist. “Last I heard Master Kota was cycling home for some R&R, sir. His militia ran into some trouble with slavers trying to benefit from the war.” “Of course he did.” Vin remarked. “He always had a knack for sticking his oar in. Thank you, Specialist.” Master Kota didn’t use Clone Troopers either. Vin only wished a few others would stop using them too. This war was affecting his ability to see the future, but at times he awoke in a cold sweat from a terrible nightmare that saw the Jedi Order destroyed and he had a sinking feeling that it may very well be this war that brought it about. And he was also certain the Clone Troopers where a threat. He was certain they played a part in his dream. He only hoped it wasn’t prophetic. But the more he thought on it the less he liked it. The Clones where programmed to follow the Supreme Chancellor’s orders. What if he gave an order to annihilate the Jedi, with who he had hardly been on good terms with lately? Vin felt a shiver run up his spine. He hoped his fears where ungrounded. The Jedi where spread like butter across too many pieces of bread. It scared him. “Keep me updated, Jeff.” Vin said to his pilot. “I’ll be in the debriefing room.” He had to discuss his feelings with someone he could trust, over a secure channel, and away from prying eyes and ears. Luckily he had one. He powered up his secure channel and sat back in his chair as the holographic figure of Grand Master of the Jedi Order, Yoda, appeared upon the tabletop. The scene behind Yoda was his private meditation chamber. “Master Garth, more to report have you?” “Master…” Suddenly he was hesitant. He felt like a Youngling again who knew nothing of the Force, coming with a query and a fearful report of whispers in his head. But Yoda’s curious look, mixed with genuine concern for a past pupil, gave Vin the courage to give voice to his fears. “I’ve been having… unsettling dreams of late. The Darkside has clouded my vision, but there are rare times I see with perfect clarity.” Yoda touched his chin in consideration for a time as Vin continued with his explanation. “I can’t help but feel frightened for the future of the Jedi Order, Master. I see death, destruction, pain and somehow the Clone Troopers are involved.” He knew how this sounded. He’d put voice to his dissatisfaction for the Clones before, but never in private like he did now. It was always before the Council as a whole. And he only now realized that his voice had been filled with genuine fear as he spoke to his old mentor. Never mind feeling like a Youngling. He must have looked like a Youngling too. But Yoda only motioned him to continue. “I know I’ve voiced doubts about the Clones before and I can assure you that this isn’t born of my prejudice towards them. I wake in a cold sweat every time I have this dream, Master, and it’s always the same dream. I see the Jedi Temple in ruins, Younglings dead, and thunderous applause in the Senate. I see my fellow Jedi – people I’ve known my whole life – dying across the galaxy, as though a great plague done for us all. I see… I see a figure, clad in black, cackling with laughter at our slaughter. And somehow the laughter is familiar to me.” “Careful you must be when sensing the future, Vin. Consider this I will.” “Thank you, Master Yoda. You always did listen to me; even when I do sound half mad.” Vin's joke at the end was the first indication of his growing ease. Bringing this matter to Yoda had certainly lifted his spirits a bit, and had certainly been the correct course of action. “Meditate on this, I will.” Vin said his farewells and returned to the bridge of his frigate. He found his apprentice, Elena, joking with the guard posted at the elevator. She was a human with a tribal tattoo on her cheek that denoted her Force sensitivity amongst her tribe, which was considered a badge of honour. In practice Vin found it a nuisance, especially when stealth was required; though she persevered as did he. He approached her. “Master,” Elena greeted. “You look unwell.” “Dark dreams,” Vin muttered. “I’ll explain later.” He then smiled. “You’re looking well. Did you get my message?” Elena nodded confirmation. She had been travelling with Ellie Grey up until this morning as Vin’s earlier assignment called for only a single infiltrator, and Elena’s tattoo would hinder the success of his mission. Vin had been sought after to smuggle a key figure off-world and deliver him safely to a Republic patrol, which he had just accomplished this morning. Whilst he did that Elena had been put at Ellie’s disposal to help with various battles across the Outer Rim Territories. It was the first time Vin had saw his apprentice in two weeks. He motioned her into the debriefing room. “No one suspected you?” Vin asked. “No one, Master, you can relax.” Elena answered. “Ellie put me in charge of a few troopers and because I was leading them, I could watch and listen without arousing suspicion. I do know the troopers fear us however. They often remarked that they would rather have us as allies than enemies.” “Of course they would.” Vin remarked. “There are few things in the galaxy more frightful than a Jedi on the march, after all.” “I also asked them, hypothetically mind, how they’d go about killing one of Dooku’s Darksiders.” “Ah, smart thinking.” A tactic that was effective against a Darksider with a lightsaber would be as equally effective against a Jedi. Though Vin had a sinking feeling. He knew what Elena was going to report before she even opened her mouth. “Overwhelming numbers, they said.” Elena continued, which proved Vin’s fears correct. “One Clone said that even a Jedi couldn’t deflect fire from a sustained source for long without faltering.” “And he’s correct, of course. Damn it! The more I hear about these Clones the less I like them.” Vin mused. “Um, Master? What’s wrong? You hardly ate and you barely got any sleep before I joined Ellie, and judging by the way you’re slumped in that chair now, I can assume you haven’t had much of either in the last two weeks either? I thought so. What is wrong?” He told her of his dreams and of his conversation with Master Yoda prior to her arrival on the bridge. Her reaction was what one could expect from an apprentice. He saw the fear in her eyes and wondered internally if he had looked like that as he recounted all this to Master Yoda earlier? Suddenly he felt like a fool. What was he doing? This was his matter to ponder and now he’d scared his apprentice half to death! What kind of man was he to frighten a child with matters concerning galactic security. A fool of a man was what he was. “I’m sorry.” Vin said at last. “I shouldn’t burden you with these matters.” Elena was about to open her mouth to reply when the door to the debriefing room slid open to allow Ellie Grey, Jedi Knight and one of Vin’s closest friends, entry. She had her hair braided today and wore a casual disguise consisting of a brown tunic and a pair of leather trousers. Wrapped around her forehead was a bandana. “Okay, Vin, what’s this about dreams?” Ellie asked. Vin couldn’t suppress his urge to laugh. “So Master Yoda told you? I should have expected that, actually. Let me guess: you’re to look after me, on Master Yoda's order?” “You’re right on the first count, but not the second.” Ellie said. “I volunteered to look after you without any prodding from Master Yoda, though he is concerned for you. So clear your schedule, Vin. We’ve got a new assignment.” Next Story > Turning the Clock Back.
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